MOSCOW, March 23 The Ukrainian Armed Forces will lose F-16 aircraft, which Ukraine will receive from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, along with pilots immediately after it puts the aircraft into operation in battle, reports the American magazine Forbes.
It is noted that the role of Russian glide bombs may become more decisive than even the role of drones and traditional artillery. At present, there is little Ukraine can do to fight back. It lacks anti-aircraft missile systems and launchers, its former Soviet fighters lack the range to defeat Russian glide bombs, and European F-16 jets have not yet arrived.
«Once Ukraine puts them (F-16s — ed.) into combat in the coming weeks or months, Ukraine will lose F-16s and their pilots — potentially many of them. The big question is whether Kiev will benefit from this sacrifice.» , writes the magazine.
Earlier, the head of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said that the American F-16 fighters, which Western partners promise to transfer to Kyiv, will not be able to fly if the supply of spare parts for them is not arranged in a timely manner. Also, Russian military expert Alexey Leonkov said that the supply of American F-16 fighters to Kyiv from the fleet of various NATO countries will not change the balance of power at the front, and the training of Ukrainian pilots is too long and expensive for European countries.
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine interfere with the settlement, directly involve NATO countries in the conflict and are “playing with fire.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. According to him, the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and other countries. The Kremlin stated that pumping Ukraine up with weapons from the West does not contribute to negotiations and will have a negative effect.